


Season of the Witch

by felicityollies



Series: Trick or Treat [4]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Halloween, Light Angst, Strangers to Lovers, Warlocks, Witchcraft, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-07-24 19:07:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16181336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/felicityollies/pseuds/felicityollies
Summary: The warlock Oliver Queen senses trouble in the air. He can feel in his bones;something isn't right. There's something dark and twisted coming and somehow it's connected to his beautiful new neighbor, Felicity Smoak.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and i present to you the first chapter of this year's Halloween fic! 
> 
> i'm very excited about this one, especially since I haven't been able to do much writing lately, I apologize for that, but I do hope you enjoy this fic!

  
It was an average October morning. Oliver sat at his small round kitchen table drinking coffee. He was taking his time that morning. So much so, the morning was almost gone. A slow and very hot shower started the day before he changed into a worn pair of jeans and a deep blue and white plaid shirt, his sleeves were rolled up at the elbows. He’d picked over a bowl of fruit and read the front page of the morning paper. He could have read it on his phone, but he was not one for technology. Oliver would much rather hold a paper in his hands than stare down at a tiny phone screen. He was twenty-eight, but his friends accused him of being an eighty-eight year old man quite often.

A cold breeze blew through the house. The hair on the back of Oliver’s neck stood up and shiver went all the way down his spine. Obvious goosebumps rose up on his arms. He swallowed thickly as a sense of dread settled into his chest. He folded his paper backwards and set his black coffee down, a frown etched into his face.

“Something is coming,” he whispered.

It was in the air, something dark and foreboding. He didn’t know what it was, his powers didn’t work that way. Sometimes he wished it worked like it did on television, but his magic was more sensing than really images or visions. Oliver was a warlock. His specialization lay in divination, specifically tarot cards, but he could work with just about anything handed to him. He knew there was something dark coming without looking at the cards. He could feel it in his bones. Oliver never questioned his senses.

His broom fell with a clatter. Another bad sign.

His cat, Sabrina, jumped onto the round table, rubbing her head against his chin as if to reassure him. He scratched her back and sighed.

“It could be a coincidence, but I don’t really believe in those…. you know that.”

Sabrina looked at him with her knowing yellow eyes. The cat was small, short-haired, and almost completely black. The only blemish in her black fur was a white streak across her eye. The marking reminded Oliver of a scar, he liked it. Sabrina was his familiar. She’d been with him for as long as he can remember. She found him of course. When he first came into his powers she appeared to him. He opened the door of his home one morning to find her there, waiting for him. He knew instantly she was for him and that her name was Sabrina. It was as if she had whispered it across his mind.

His mother, who was a witch, told him up and down familiars don’t communicate with their charges that way. But Oliver knew what he felt.

He and his mother were the only ones in his family that were of magic blood. His father and his younger sister had no magic to speak of. To say his mother was disappointed Thea had taken after their father was an understatement. Oliver thought she was merely a late bloomer. She was still young, only eighteen, and had plenty of time to grown into powers.

Moira told him she always knew he was a warlock. She could sense it in him; she sensed nothing from Thea. He knew what she meant. Being around another magic user caused a specific feeling. It began with a tingling, just enough to give goosebumps across the skin, but then it became so much more. Each person’s magic had a certain feeling to it. Moira’s magic was a little cold. Oliver had been told his magic had a sharp feeling to it; it pinpricked along the skin, but it never harmed anyone. Only another magic user could feel it; someone who was sensitive but not magical might get a chill when magic was near, but otherwise no one was bothered.

Oliver sighed again and finished off the rest of his coffee. Outside he could hear a truck pulling up. His frown deepened. He wasn’t expecting a delivery or any visitors. Sabrina chirped and ran towards one of the front windows of his townhome. He followed quickly. Shoving the curtain out of the way, he eyed a small moving truck in front of the house next door.

The dread in his chest deepened.

He watched as two men unloaded a couple of boxes into the house. The place had been empty for the last couple months; the elderly couple who had lived there before decided it was time to move to one of those retirement villages. He had liked the quiet, but he knew someone would move in eventually. He just didn’t remember anyone coming by to see it.

The house was not unlike his own, small and cozy. It had almost a cottage feel to it. Both had small front and backyards that were surrounded by the quintessential white picket fence. The house next door had always been welcoming, but now it seemed there was something off about the quaint little cottage.

A woman came out from the house. His eyes widened slightly. She wore a dark purple dress with matching pumps. Her blond hair fell in curls around her shoulders. She stopped to speak to one of the movers, pointing back towards the house. As soon as the man walked past her, she started back towards the house.

Then she stopped.

Her head turned and she met his gaze. He startled at being caught. At first her face was blank, but then a slow smirk formed on her lips. There was something almost evil about that smile. He didn’t even want to know what the look in her eyes was like. Another shiver went down his spine anyway. Sabrina hissed and jumped from the window. Oliver closed the curtains and took a step back.

There was definitely something up with his new neighbor.

* * *

Oliver moved upstairs to his desk. It was an old and sleek wooden desk passed down through his family. His grandmother had once cast spells on the worn wood. It sat in his study surrounded by bookcases. Only one bookcase held books that would be deemed _normal_ , The Odyssey and other classic works sat on its shelves. The others were full of books of witchcraft. Spells, rituals, herbs and botany, and knowledge handed down through generations of witches. There had been many long nights spent studying these books. He considered himself very knowledgeable on various _witchy_ subjects.

Oliver had a view of the house next door, but he could be more inconspicuous about it. He glanced through the curtains, but didn’t see the woman from before. She must have gone back inside. He shook his head and focused on the task at hand.

Sabrina sat on his desk as he pulled out his favorite tarot deck. After shuffling them for several minutes, he fanned them out across his deck, each card faced down. Closing his eyes, he let out a slow breath. He let his fingers hover over the cards as he took even breaths in and out. He felt his magic rise to the surface. It flowed to his fingertips, threatening to burst forth.

“What is coming?” he whispered.

The lights flickered and the air became static. He opened his eyes and looked at the cards with purpose. He slid three cards out of the deck, setting them in front of him without looking at them just yet. Oliver let out another slow breath and the air around him began to normalize again. The magic died down and everything settled.

Sabrina meowed at him.

“I know I might not like the answer.”

His fingers tremble just slightly as he flipped the first card, it was reversed. _The fool_. He frowned at it for a long moment before moving onto the next. _The lovers_ , upright. If he hadn’t been confused before, he was now. He moved on from this card quickly and went to the last. As his finger touched the final card, he felt a pain in his chest. Something more than dread. _Something awful_.

Oliver flipped the card, it was upright. _Death_.

“The fool. The lovers. Death.” He stared at the three cards as he pressed a hand into his chest. “Stupidity and chaos. Relationships. And mortality.”

They had never lied to him before. He had never even felt something so strongly when reading the cards. And all of it had to do with his next door neighbor. He knew it did. He could feel it down to his very core. The way she looked at him sent a chill through him he’d never experienced. She was going to bring darkness and death.

 _But what about the other two cards._ He didn’t want to be stupid in this situation, but he already felt like an idiot because he couldn’t figure out what the hell relationships had to do with anything.

He sighed. He needed to go over there and confront this head on. There was no other way around it. But he had no idea what he was facing.

The sound of his doorbell startled him.

“Just a little anxious, I think,” he mumbled to Sabrina who was tilting her head worriedly at him.

He left his cards where they sat and hurried down the stairs. Without checking to see who it was, he swung the door open. He was met with the ice blue gaze of his new neighbor.

Oliver swallowed thickly.

“Are you okay?” she asked, tilting her head in a similar way to what Sabrina had been doing. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” 

He felt the telltale tingle as she stood in front of him. Goosebumps erupted across his skin. Magic user.

When he didn’t say anything, she decided to break the silence. “Anyone home?” She waved her hand in front of his face.

He blinked a couple of times. “What? Sorry.”

“I thought I would come and say hello since you were staring at me.”

“I wasn’t staring.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sure.” She paused for a moment. “Can I come in?”

Everything screamed at him to turn her away, but he couldn’t. He was raised with manners. “Come on inside.” He stepped out of her way

“Let’s start this over again,” she said, reaching her hand out to him, “Hello, I’m Felicity Smoak.”

“Oliver Queen,” he shook her hand.

Oliver ran his eyes over her. She was beautiful. Perfectly done makeup over soft features; dark lipstick colored plump lips. She wore a star of david around her neck, it settled just above her chest. He flicked his gaze to her eyes and forced them to stay there. The tingle was still there, but he felt something else. There was something dark hiding under that beautiful face. The dread from before sagged on his shoulders. It wrapped around him like a suffocating blanket.

“Welcome to the neighborhood,” he forced himself to say. “Can I get you a drink?”

Felicity nodded, “Sure. Coffee?”

Before Oliver could move to fetch the coffee Sabrina curled around his legs and hissed up at Felicity.

“Oh,” she took a step back, “Cats don’t usually have that reaction to me.”

“I’m sure,” Oliver muttered quietly.

“It’s true. I have a black cat back home. His name is Luke.”

Sabrina arched her back and hissed louder.

“Sabrina,” Oliver put his hand on her.

“She does not like me.” Felicity smoothed out her dress and eyed the door. “I guess I better get out of your cat’s hair then.”

“It was nice to meet you, Felicity.”

“You too, Oliver. Maybe I’ll get to spend more time with you next time.”

“Yeah.”

He watched her leave his home. As soon as she left, he felt lighter again.

“Practitioner of dark magic,” he muttered.

Sabrina purred and rubbed her face against his shin.

“She might be more. I don’t believe one dark witch has the ability to bring chaos and death.”

Sabrina looked up at him and blinked. He sighed.

“I shouldn’t underestimate her. I don’t know anything about her.” He scratched the back of his neck. “What I should do is visit mom.”

* * *

The Dearden mansion was an old and magical place. At one point in its history the Dearden witches held large meetings for their coven. When witches were more well known and out in the open; when they were considered healers and oracles. Young boys and girls learned a lot from the Dearden witches, but that was a long time ago. Now it was just a home to the Queen family.

 _Just a home._ Oliver smiled. The gate opened on its own as he stepped forward. It squeaked, happily welcoming him back home before shutting behind him. It was a truly enchanted place.

By the time he reached the front door, his mother was already waiting for him. She looked as she always did, prim and proper. Some might imagine older witches in long flowing skirts and peasant blouses, but not his mother. She had always had a taste for the finer things, which was why she married a businessman. Moira stood in one of her best silver dress suits. Her hair was done in a perfect updo. Not a single blond strand out of place.

“The house told me you were on your way up.” She smiled. “What prompted this visit?”

“A dark witch moved in next door.”

Her smile faltered. “Come inside.”

They sat in the parlor in front of the fireplace. Oliver sipped coffee while Moira held a cup of tea.

“Tell me everything,” she said, meeting his gaze.

“I got the sense of something coming this morning. Something dark,” he said. “Then the moving truck arrived. I read the cards and they didn’t say anything good.” He didn’t want to tell her exactly what they said.

Moira pressed her lips into a thin line.

“She came over to say ‘Hello.’ I could feel it, mom. I could feel it radiating off of her.” He hated to admit that he was a little scared of her. He’d never dealt with a dark witch before.

“Stay away from her,” Moira demanded. “Stay away from dark magic. Those witches… they sell their souls to the devil. They deal in demons and dark spirits.”

Oliver swallowed thickly.

“I don’t need you getting mixed up with someone like that.”

“I won’t,” he said. “I promise.”

He stared down into his coffee for a long moment.

“What if,” he started to say, “what if she’s more than a dark witch?”

“What do you mean?”

He kept his eyes on his coffee. “I don’t know how to explain it,” he said slowly. “Just something more… something not human.”

“Oliver look at me.”

He met his mother’s steely gaze. His heart pounded rapidly in his chest. He didn’t want to voice these concerns. He didn’t want to know the answer to these questions. Could his neighbor truly be something dark and twisted? Or was she just a witch gone down the wrong path?

“Put protection spells on your home,” Moria commanded. “Grandma Dearden’s spells. I don’t want you placing flimsy magic on your house.”

He didn’t think his magic was flimsy, but he nodded anyway.

“Dark spirits cannot cross protection spells. If she is truly evil she will not be able to harm you.” She reached across the space between them and grabbed his hand. “I want you to do everything you can to protect yourself. Charms, amulets, anything you can think of. There is a good shop downtown-”

“I know the one.”

Moira paused to think for a moment. “You can always stay here.”

“I can’t hide from this,” he said. “You know everything happens for a reason. She came to my neighborhood for a reason. Maybe I’m supposed to stop her.”

The death card flashed through his mind.

“Oliver.” She stood, setting her tea aside. She took his face in her hands. He set his own drink down and put his hands on hers. “My beautiful boy, please be careful.”

“I swear to you.”

* * *

Oliver took the spells from his mother and began charming his home. He lit a black candle in his kitchen, where he did all of his spells. To be truthful, spells were not his forte, so he didn’t do them very often, but he was going to try his damnedest.

He set his black candle in the middle of his kitchen table and let out a slow breath. Oliver gathered up a handful of salt and began sprinkling it around the candle in a tight circle. The same energy from before began rising in the room. Static filled the air. He picked up a horseshoe which his mother had sent with him and gripped it hard in his hands.

“Iron and bone protect this home,” he whispered.

His fingertips prickled.

“Iron and bone protect this home,” he got a little louder.

The hairs on his body stood on end. His hands trembled.

“Iron and bone protect this home!”

Energy shot from his hands into the horseshoe. It burst outwards and spread throughout his home. A warmth touched every corner of his house before slowly crawling back into the horseshoe. He let out a shaky breath and went to hang the horseshoe on the front door. Horseshoes on their own already warded off evil spirits. The iron kept all kinds of things away and when they were hung outside of homes with the opening facing down they became a sort of ward. Now Oliver had simply made a charm out of it; each entry in his home was protected so long as this horseshoe was hanging.

He glanced towards Felicity’s house. The movers had gone and the boxes were all inside. Movement caught his eye and he looked towards a window. The curtains were moving. Had she been watching him? Did she feel it when he cast the spell? He took in a deep breath and turned back into his house. Oliver quickly locked the door. He leaned against it and closed his eyes.

What the hell was he getting himself into?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: tries to be scary  
> me: is actually a marshmallow

Oliver’s sleep had never been so disturbed. He lie awake all night, wondering about his new neighbor. He tossed and turned, but sleep evaded him. How could he close his eyes and rest when he knew danger was lurking only a few feet away. At three in the morning, he stood at his window, his eyes glued to the house next door. Every single light in the house was off. The only source of movement was from an open window on the second floor; a curtain shook in the chilly October wind. The house next door had once seemed so full of life. There had been grandchildren in the yard every weekend, an old dog that wheezed and barked, but was truthfully sweet, and the couple themselves were friendly and warm. All of that warmth was gone. In its place was an eerily feeling. It made his skin crawl.

The light suddenly flicked on in the room with the open window. Not a second later a female figure appeared behind the curtain. Oliver startled, his heart leaping into his throat. He hurriedly pushed himself away from his window. His heart pounded so hard and so loud, he could taste his own pulse.

Coincidence? Or had she sensed him looking towards her home. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer.

With a shaky sigh, he wiped sweat from his brow and took purposeful steps out of his bedroom. If he wasn’t going to sleep, he might as well do something else. He found himself in the kitchen, making a cup of coffee. Black as usual. He leaned against the counter, cupping his hands around the hot drink and bringing it close to his face. Oliver breathed in the coffee as if it were a magical cure for his troubles.

It was a disappointment when he took a sip and nothing was fixed.

He closed his eyes and took another drink. His heart rate slowed to something considerably more normal, but nothing about him was calm. Everything around him was quiet. Nothing in his home made noise. It was almost unsettling. The only sound came from the wind, blowing against the trees and rustling leaves across the ground outside. It was early in the morning, but he thought there should be more than that going on. Something felt off.

His new neighbor had done more than bring darkness to his neighborhood, more than danger, she had changed something. It was if the street were dead. Not a car nor animal or human being made a single noise. In a city like Starling there was always movement.

Always life.

He let his eyes flutter open. Oliver needed noise. He took his coffee mug and settled into his small loveseat. Normally, he wasn’t much of a television watcher, but that night was an odd night. The television itself was a small one, it was new, but it was designed to look like it belonged in the fifties; his friend had bought it for him as a homecoming gift and joke about Oliver’s technological habits. He flipped through the channels, skipping past numerous infomercials until he landed on Twilight Zone reruns. It was probably not the best way to spend the night when he was already on edge, but it was the run from the 1960s, meaning it wasn’t too creepy or weird.

He sipped his coffee while he watched an episode about a human, finding himself in a zoo on an alien planet. It was a strange thought, to be on display like that. Then again, he felt as if he were vulnerable and open to whatever lived next door. He could only imagine what it would actually be like to be behind bars, at the mercy of some foreign creature. He shook those thoughts away. It was too much to think about. Instead, he focused on finishing his coffee.

Oliver’s eyes were beginning to feel heavy by the time he set his mug aside. He didn’t think he would actually sleep. His anxiety was too high. He forced himself to get comfortable on the couch as the next episode started.

Sabrina hopped up onto his lap and snuggled into him. He scratched her behind the ears. His eyes stayed glued to the small television set. The episode began to play out, a man was selling his soul to the devil disguised as someone kind and helpful. An average plot that had been done a million times before.

“Oliver,” a static filled voice came through the television.

He sat up a little. Coldness wrapped around him. The suffocating dread he was becoming familiar with plunged deep into his chest.

The picture went in and out, becoming grainy and warped. “Oliver Queen.”

He couldn’t tell if it was a male or female voice, but he did know he wanted it to stop.

“Oliver!” it screamed.

The screen became nothing but snow and static. It sat there buzzing for several seconds. For a moment he thought it was over.

A screaming face appeared in the screen. He scrambled off the couch, accidentally tossing Sabrina to the floor. It was a formless face, nothing but eyes and a screaming mouth. Its eyes were hollow and black; its teeth were sharp and jagged. What features he could see were terrifying as it gave a high pitched wail. His heart beat wildly in his chest. Fear gripped every inch of him. Nothing in his life had prepared him for a creature bursting through his television set of all things.

Sabrina hissed and spit at the thing.

“You can’t hide from me,” it growled.

The face pushed against the screen as if it were trying to break through. It pushed again and suddenly it were as if the screen were made of fabric. A claw appeared, an almost human hand with sharp pointed nails. The screen stretched and moved, the face and claws seeming to begin to come through.

“I’m coming for you,” it laughed.

The sound that followed was wet and hungry. He could only see bits and pieces of this creature, but he was getting the feeling it was much bigger than what his television set was showing him.

“Fuck,” Oliver finally managed to speak. “Why can’t I think?”

Nothing was coming to him. Not a hex or a spell. Not a curse or potion. His mind felt like an empty void.

“You can’t fight me.”

The screen began to tear under the claws. A white hand reached out of the television, followed by an unusually long white arm. It was thin, bone-like, and it was reaching for Oliver. It stretched out and grabbed onto his ankle. The grip was strong, strong enough to bruise, and hot. It burned through his pajama pants to his skin.

“No… no… no!” Oliver shouted, struggling against the fiend.

He tried to pull away, but the creature gripped tighter, pulling him towards the television set.

“No!”

Claws dug into his leg, tearing his pants and his skin.

“Oliver!”

He bolted up from his position on the couch. His body was covered in sweat and his heart was threatening to beat right out of his chest. He could barely breathe or register what the hell was happening.

A knock at the door. “Oliver!” Tommy’s voice called to him.

He glanced around. Everything was fine. His cup was where he had left it. The T.V was still on the channel he had been watching, though something else was playing now. Sabrina sat on the coffee table, looking at him worriedly.

“Nightmare,” he whispered, petting her head. “Just a nightmare.”

“Oliver I can see your car,” Tommy continued, “don’t make me break a window.”

Oliver looked down at his sweat drenched t-shirt and sighed. This would have to do. “I’m coming!”

He pushed himself up and rushed to the door. When he opened it Tommy gave him a quick once over.

“You been working out?”

“Uh, yes.”

“Ignoring me for cardio,” Tommy scoffed.

Oliver moved out of the way and let his best friend inside. Tommy looked well as usual. Black jeans, tighter than they needed to be, a black button up shirt, and black shoes that were worth more than Oliver wanted to know. If anyone looked at the two of them, they might accuse Tommy of being the warlock instead of Oliver.

“What do you need?”

“Is that anyway to greet your closest friend?”

Oliver closed the door and locked it. Sabrina greeted Tommy as she always did. She weaved her way between his feet and nuzzled up against his leg. Sabrina adored Tommy.

“By the way, why do you have a horseshoe on your door?”

“Decoration.”

“Hmm.”

“What do you want, Tommy?”

He kept walking until he reached the kitchen. “Well since you never answer your phone I came to deliver your invitation personally, which I was going to do yesterday, but you weren’t home. Before I tell you what’s going on you have to remember I’ve been trying to get ahold of you for awhile.”

Oliver gave him a hurry up look.

“I’m having a party tonight.”

“Pass.” Now was not the time to be going to parties. Especially not a Tommy Merlyn party. His parties were always insane. At twenty-eight years old, he should have begun to mellow out a little, but no he was still going hard. He had a loving girlfriend, Dinah, a police officer of all things, but he still threw big parties.

Tommy rolled his eyes. “You need to get out.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I know you,” Tommy leaned against a counter in the kitchen. “Besides, I invited your hot new neighbor.”

Oliver thought he was going to swallow his own tongue. “What?”

“When I came over yesterday, I saw her moving in. I thought I should welcome her to the neighborhood.”

“You live three miles away.”

“Semantics.”

“I don’t want to go to one of your over the top parties.”

“It won’t be over the top.”

Oliver crossed his arms.

“Dinah insisted she not get called to her own apartment again.”

Oliver couldn’t help smiling a little at that. Maybe he was calming down. He mulled it over. He should go purely because Felicity was going. He couldn’t very well let her be unleashed on a bunch of mortals. Shit. This was the last thing he wanted to do, but somehow he knew it was his duty to keep everyone at that party safe.

“Alright.”

Tommy’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes, what time is it?”

“Seven.”

“I’ll see you there.”

“Oh and wear a costume.”

* * *

Oliver left the house already dressed for the party. He went with black slacks, black shoes, and a deep purple button up shirt; he rolled the sleeves up to his elbows despite it being one of his more expensive shirts. As he stepped onto the sidewalk, he noted his ankle was a little sore. He hadn’t seen any scratches or bruises on his leg, meaning his nightmare was just that, nothing more than a nightmare. Still, it set his nerves on edge.

He glanced towards Felicity’s home. She sat on her porch with her cat, also black, and a pink mug full of some steaming liquid. Felicity waved at him and smiled. That morning she seemed friendly and kind. Nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing except that overwhelming feeling that something awful was going to happen. Every time he looked at her it deepened in his chest. It sat heavy on him like a nagging beast. 

He shook his head and made his way to his car. It was an older Jeep, nothing fancy, but he didn’t need fancy. He needed sturdy and reliable.

Oliver gave one last glance to Felicity. She was staring at him over her mug. He swallowed thickly and backed out of his driveway. There was no reason to keep paying attention to her. He was going to see enough of her at the party that night.

He drove in silence until he reached the occult shop his mother had told him to visit. He knew this place well. Not that he visited frequently, but it was across the street from the bookstore he happened to work in. It had a welcoming aura. A warmth that made him want to enter. Out on the sidewalk, he could smell patchouli incense from inside. The windows held tapestries and dream catchers. In one a table was set up, holding books about Wicca, crystals and herbs.

The sign above the front door looked old and worn. It read, The Conjure Shop.

Oliver opened the door, making a few bells on it jingle. Warmth washed over him, wrapping around him. It was like a blanket on a cold day or the first sip of hot chocolate after being out in the snow. He wasn’t sure what kind of spell the owner put on her shop, but it was wonderful. The witch in question waved him over instantly. She leaned over the front counter in a dress that matched the feel of the store. It was long, emerald green, and made him think of the fairy tale image of a witch in a cottage in the woods. Her hair was a mess of dark curls, unruly but beautiful.

“Oliver,” she said, “What brings you back here?” she reached her dark hand out to touch his.

She was a true clairvoyant and he knew she was trying to get something from him. A vision, a vibe, anything she could get by touching him. Her delicate fingers wrapped around his hand and she closed her eyes. Her features contorted and her eyes moved rapidly behind her lids.

“You are in danger,” she whispered.

“I know,” he said quietly, “What did you see, Sara?”

“Dark spirits.”

He told her what he had seen in the cards.

She pushed herself back from the counter. Sara Diggle was a woman of business. She learned it well from her mother and father. Both of who, Oliver had met and very much liked. He could call them friends. They were the kind of friends that required no explanation. He couldn’t remember when they had become friends or why, but when they came together it was magic. He did remember when he first came into this very shop and John Diggle had been behind the counter and Sara had been no more than fourteen. She was twenty-one now, the same age he was when he first met them, and now running the shop for her parents most days. It was hers in all of their eyes.

“Dad isn’t here, but I think I’ve got just the thing for you,” she brushed past him and towards a glass case filled with amulets.

He hadn’t told her he was searching for an amulet.

“He knows amulets better than I do, but this one…” she hovered over a few before plucking one out of the case, “Should help.”

Sara handed him a silver arrowhead; in the center was an green stone. He rolled it over in his hand and smoothed his thumb over the stone. It felt energized and powerful.

“Arrowheads protect from harm,” she said. “They’ve also been known to protect from jealousy, but…” she waved her hand, “I trust this one.”

“And I trust you.”

She gave him a satin cord, so he could wear the amulet.

“What do I owe you?”

“Nothing,” she said. “This one is on me.”

He sighed. “Okay. Tell your mom and dad I said hi.”

“Oh they will definitely know you were here.”

“Don’t let them worry. I’ve got this handled.”

She gave him a wary expression.

“I promise.”

* * *

Oliver avoided going back home and instead found ways to entertain himself until it was time to head to Tommy’s place. Driving around town did nothing for his anxiety. All he did was think about facing Felicity later in the evening. He didn’t think she would really try something in front of all those people, but he didn’t actually know anything about her. There was always a chance she didn’t care about being known.

Then there was the fact he needed to buy a damn costume. He hated costumes, so he took the easy way out. A witch hat. He was technically going as himself, but no one had to know that. Oliver placed it on his head with an annoyed sigh.

He physically shook out his nerves about Felicity before he reached up to knock on Tommy’s door. Music was already blasting on the other side. Through the music he could hear the sound of people chatting and laughing. He wondered for a moment how many people were going to be there. How many people was he supposed to be protecting? He touched his amulet and sighed heavily.

Tommy opened up the door and gave his signature grin. “Finally!”

“It’s only 7:15.”

“You’re still late.”

Oliver rolled his eyes. “C’mon.”

“I like your costume. It somehow fits you.” 

Tommy moved out of the way and Oliver stepped inside. The apartment was decorated for the perfect Halloween party. Orange and purple lights, cobwebs on the walls, and other spooky decorations. The bar was stocked with alcohol and there were tables covered in food. Each were decorated as if they had just come out an eighteenth century vampire’s mansion; candelabras with electric candles, goblets full of red liquid, silver platters with literal finger food, and an expensive looking table cloth. 

He wandered further into the party. He needed to calm down or he was going to be of no use to anyone. Deep breath in. Slow breath out. At least he knew Felicity wasn’t there yet. That feeling of dread hasn’t found him. He could be calm about that. Another deep breath and he slowly breathed out the remaining anxiety.

“Get a drink, you look like you’re dying. I won’t have any death at my party,” Tommy muttered.

Oliver nodded, though he hated Tommy’s wording. He grabbed one of the goblets off the table and took a large swig. Vodka and cranberry, heavy on the vodka. He closed his eyes and savored the burn.

“I thought I heard you come in,” Felicity’s voice hit him like a train.

He coughed and whipped around. “When did you get here?”

She laughed. “I’ve been here for twenty minutes.”

His eyes moved over her. She wore a tight black dress that came to her knees; it had a v-cut, showing plenty of cleavage and long sleeves which flared out at the writs. Black ankle boots and a pointed hat completed her witch costume. She beamed up at him and the strangest thing happened.

Nothing.

He felt no dread. No worry or darkness. She stood before him and he felt nothing, but the tingle of another witch.

“I like your amulet,” she said, reaching forward and touching his arrowhead.

“Thanks.” He set his drink down.

“And your costume. We match.”

“We do.”

“Something wrong?” She took a step back.

“No… I… it’s been a long day.”

She batted her eyelashes at him. “Why don’t you relax and have some fun then? Tommy has karaoke going in the living room.”

“I’m a terrible singer.”

She shrugged. “I guess I’ll see you later then.”

He nodded.

Felicity wandered off, but he followed her. There was something wrong. Something terribly wrong. There was no way he could feel nothing from her now. Unless he was imagining it. No, Sara saw the danger too. It had to be Felicity. Right? Sabrina had acted adversely towards her as well. Was it possible the danger had passed?

Oliver watched Felicity as she picked a karaoke song. Her eyes found his across the room. She smirked, but it wasn’t the same devilish smirk from before. It was playful and fun. She was teasing him.

“I put a spell on you… because you’re mine…” she sang.

The crowd of people cheered.

“You better stop the things you do… I tell ya I ain’t lyin…”

Felicity let her hips sway as she sang. Her eyes stayed locked on his. She was teasing him. Just teasing him. And yet he felt there was something more. He had to be right about her. The darkness couldn’t have gone away. She was hiding it from him somehow.

“That girl has it bad for you,” Tommy whispered in his ear.

Oliver swallowed thickly. “Yeah.”

“What are you doing over here?”

“I have to go.” Oliver said, pulling away from him.

Felicity wasn’t going to hurt anyone there. That he was sure of. She was after him. It was abundantly clear.

“What?” Tommy said.

“I have to go.” Oliver repeated as he hurried out of the party.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the mystery continues...

The bookstore was quiet that afternoon. Oliver liked it that way. He always found the bookstore rather peaceful. He enjoyed the soft sounds of pages being turned, the bustling from the cafe, and the little ring from the cash register that only interrupted the quiet once in awhile. Books had a certain smell which he also enjoyed, but he’d never quite been able to describe it; it mixed well with the scent of coffee and pastries. His work was his safe haven.

Oliver shelved several books in the psychology section of the bookstore. He stood there, his green apron covering his black v-neck sweater and his blue jeans. His mind was forcefully focused on the task at hand. It was difficult to keep his thoughts on putting returned psychology books in their proper place when there was a strange woman living next door to him. He could not understand her. The dark aura he had felt from her was gone. He felt nothing from her or the house. He was beginning to question everything he knew. The cards never lied to him and yet, the danger seemed to have passed without a problem. If there had been any danger at all to begin with.

He sighed, what did it all mean.

Maybe he was losing his touch. Maybe the evil hadn’t left, but he couldn’t feel it anymore. Maybe Felicity was blocking him from feeling it.

He slid a book onto the shelf in front of him, letting his finger run down the spine as he shoved it between two other books. What was he missing?

Oliver shook his head and finished putting the rest of the psych books away before moving on to the next section, self help books. For some reason there had been an influx of returns on those in the last couple of weeks. He told himself to focus again and proceeded to shelve the various self help books.

A tingle went up his spine and goosebumps erupted across his skin, but he chalked it up to the store being chilly that afternoon.

“Excuse me,” a soft voice said, “Can you tell me where the new age section is?”

“Sure it’s…” he turned, startling when his eyes fell on Felicity. The book he held fell out of his hands and clattered to the floor.

Her gaze traveled from his face to the book and back again. “Have I done something wrong?” she asked.

“No,” he snatched the book off the ground.

“But you don’t like me.”

“I never said that.” He turned away from her, sliding the book into place.

“It’s too bad because I like you.”

“Is that why you’re stalking me at work?” He looked her way again and she seemed hurt. Sucking in a deep breath, he faced her again. “I’m sorry.”

Oliver looked at her. He really looked at her. She wore a blue crop top shirt and a high waisted multi-colored skirt. Her heels put her a few inches taller than she actually was, making it easier to meet her gaze. Felicity wore her ponytail tight and high and her makeup was perfection as it usually was. He liked the pink color on her pouty lips, bright and beautiful. She was a gorgeous woman. A gorgeous witch.

“Tommy told me where you work,” she said, adjusting the strap on a small black purse.

“Of course he did.”

“I’m not sure how we got off on the wrong foot,” she started to say, “I mean I know I don’t always make the best impressions. I have a tendency to put my foot in my mouth, but I don’t recall doing that when we met. I thought I actually did a good job.”

He bit down on his lip. Man, he was an asshole. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Felicity.”

She crossed her arms, popping out her hip. Her expression told him she didn’t believe a word he said.

“I’ve had a rough couple of days and… I’ve been weird.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

She raised a brow.

“Let me make it up to you,” he said. “Let’s start over with a cup of coffee.” Oliver checked his watch. “I go on break in twenty. I can meet you at the cafe in the corner and we can talk for a bit?”

A wide and stunning smile broke across her face. “Perfect.”

“And if you’re really looking for new age books, there’s a better selection at the store direction across the street.”

“Good to know.” Felicity gave him another once over before turning on her heel and walking away.

He watched her until she was out of his sight. Oliver reeled. Everything had happened so quickly, but he did his best not to panic. He didn’t want his anxiety to rise again. He needed to stay calm and everything would be fine. Oliver let out a slow breath and went back to his task. Time seemed to move even slower as he worked. He kept checking his watch, but his break never got any closer.

An eternity later, he was finally clocking out for his break and heading towards the cafe. He found Felicity waiting for him near the counter.

“Order whatever you want.”

“Thank you.” She beamed up at him.

They both ordered their coffee and took their cups to a table away from everyone else. It was a nice secluded corner of the bookstore cafe.

“I know you’re a witch,” Felicity said as she raised her cup to her lips.

Oliver stared at her.

She licked her lips. “I know you know I am too. It’s fairly obvious.”

He gripped his cup between both his hands, but didn’t say a word.

“I had a feeling that was the reason you were avoiding me. You don’t belong to a coven, I’m assuming? I don’t either. Witches who’ve gone solo have a tendency to be wary of other witches.”

She met his gaze with a wicked grin. Felicity was incredibly intelligent and she knew it.

“What do you want?” he whispered.

“Nothing.” She took another drink. “Like I said, I like you. It’s just a coincidence we’re both witches.”

He did not believe that for a moment. As soon as the thought went through his head, he felt the nagging guilt in the pit of his stomach. He had been judging her since the moment he saw her. It was time he gave her a chance.

“You don’t know anything about me,” he finally said.

“I know you’re a witch, I know you plant lavender by your front gate for good luck, I know you put a protection charm on your door because I startled you, and I know you’re a technophobe.”

He took a drink of his coffee. “How do you know the protection charm was because of you?”

“Because you put it up the day I moved in.”

“Who told you I was a technophobe… which I am not.”

“Tommy.” She laughed. “He said there was on point in giving me your number because you’d never answer your phone.”

He couldn’t help smiling at that.

“I also know you’re very handsome… and cute.”

She looked away from him, biting down on her lip.

“Well… you know some things about me, it’s only fair I know some things about you.”

“I have an entire herb garden, I specialize in potions, and I actually love technology.”

“Why did you leave your last coven?”

“Ah if you want to know the answer to that you’ll have to come to dinner tonight.” 

He smiled a bit wider, “Dinner?”

“I had to find someway to get you to come over.” She winked.

He chuckled. His worry seemed to float away. She was so funny and sweet. “What time?”

“Seven?”

“Great. I’ll be there.”

* * *

Oliver cleaned up a little when he got home, but decided not to change clothes. Sabrina looked at him curiously, sensing the change in his attitude. He felt lighter, more calm, and he knew she could feel it. She pressed her head into his hand and nuzzled him gently. He scratched behind her ears.

“Don’t worry about me.”

She meowed and nipped at his finger.

“I know you can’t help it. It’s your job.” He sighed, petting her down the length of her body.

He left his bedroom and she followed close behind. She seemed to refuse to leave his side even as he stepped out the front door. That was fine. Felicity would understand. He looked up at the house. Nothing strange about it now. No chills, no sense of dread, it was a plain cottage style house. There was nothing warm about it either. Not like his own home. He guessed he would call it a neutral place.

The door was open before he reached the front steps. Felicity smiled at him and he returned one of his own. This time Sabrina didn’t hiss or puff up at her, though she still did seem kind of wary. Another black cat trotted out of the house and met Sabrina nose to nose. They sniffed at each other for a moment before rubbing their faces along each other.

“I’m glad Sabrina seems to have calmed down.” Felicity teased. “I think she and Luke will get along.”

He nodded.

The two cats ran into the house. Oliver took their lead and followed. Felicity closed the door behind them. He was met with the smell of herbs; lavender, rosemary, lemongrass, and so many other things. The house was warm in a physical sense. It was cozy and the scent of herbs added to that. Felicity hadn’t decorated yet. She obviously hadn’t had time to. There were a few pieces of furniture here and there, but for the most part boxes were scattered throughout the house.

“The kitchen is the only place I’ve really set anything up,” she grabbed onto his hand and began leading him towards the kitchen.

The layout was similar to his own home, but reversed.

Her kitchen was small, white from top to bottom, and had that well used feel to it. The cupboards had glass panes, so he could see her very few dishes and her extensive stock of herbs and other ingredients for potions. He opened a cupboard full of oddly shaped jars.

“Newt tails,” he read out loud. “Dried rose thorn. Spider venom. I don’t know what half of these are for.”

“Potions not your thing?”

“No. Divination is my specialty.”

“Clairvoyant?”

“Sensitive, but not a true clairvoyant.” He closed the cupboard.

Oliver paused for a moment. Everything seemed to be tumbling out of his mouth. Yesterday, he wouldn’t have told her anything about himself if he had been tortured, but today was different. It was easier to talk to her than it was his own mother. He really had read her wrong, hadn’t he?

“I’m sorry for the way I acted before.”

“It’s okay.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Having a new witch move into your area is probably a bit startling.”

“I guess.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I can’t believe I made a good impression on you.”

She laughed loudly. “Like I said, you’re cute.”

The doorbell rang.

“Oh! Be right back.” She hurried off back towards the front door.

When she came back, she held a large box of Chinese take out in her arms. She set it down on the island and began unpacking all the food.

“I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I got a little bit of everything.”

It was his turn to laugh. “You’re remarkable.”

They sat down at the island and picked up a box of food each. Oliver held his chopsticks and started picking at a box of broccoli beef, while Felicity dug into shrimp in lobster sauce with her own set of chopsticks.

“So, your coven…” Oliver wondered out loud.

Felicity slurped up a snap pea and licked her lips. “I left my last coven because they were tampering with dark magic.”

His eyes went wide. “What kind of dark magic?”

“It was…. It was bad stuff.” She shook her head. “What about you?”

“I have my family, but I guess I’ve never really belonged to a coven. I don’t see the need.”

“Understandable.”

“Where did you move from?” he asked, popping a piece of broccoli into his mouth.

“Las Vegas.”

“Far from home.”

“Mhmm, but I really needed the change.”

He nodded.

“You always lived here?”

“Yeah, my family has lived her for generations.” He switched out his box of food for some orange chicken. “What about your family?”

“My family? Only child. My mom is… normal if you can call her that. I don’t know anything about my dad.” Her smile fell away and he immediately felt bad for asking.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

They continued to eat and talk for what seemed like hours. This woman was amazing. He felt stupid for judging her so fiercely. For running away from her and acting… acting like a fool. His mind went back to the cards. He had been a fool and almost created a chaotic situation out of absolutely nothing. And now he was building a relationship with Felicity. He knew this was going somewhere. He could feel it. There was a real connection between them. The cards were still right.

Oliver shook his thoughts away. He needed to focus on the now. On the woman beside him, who was currently snuggling up closer to him. He met her gaze and smiled. He could have gotten lost in those stunning sky blue eyes. His heart began to pound rapidly in his chest. For a split second his gaze fell to her lips. Her pouty pink lips. He forced his gaze back to her eyes, but she must have seen him look because the next thing he knew she was pressing her lips into his.

He slid off his barstool and leaned in to kiss her back. The kiss was slow and intimate. She ran her fingers through his hair, gripping gently. He felt a sudden rush of magic. Her magic. It was electric; it buzzed across his skin. His hair stood on end.

She slid backwards off the stool, pulling away from him and breaking the kiss. “I’m sorry,” she said breathlessly. “I can’t do this.”

“W-what?”

The magic slowly died down to a static hum.

“I know I invited you over and I kissed you, but we have to stop now. You need to go home.”

“Felicity…”

“Now.” She wouldn’t look at him.

He couldn’t figure out what had gone wrong. His chest ached. What happened? What did he do?

“I’m sorry for whatever it is that I did,” he whispered as he walked by her.

“It’s not you. It’s me.”

Somehow, he didn’t believe her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally... an answer to your question(s)

Felicity wrapped her arms around her body, shaking violently. The house was completely empty now. Oliver was gone, Sabrina and Luke had followed him out. She was utterly alone. But she was never really alone. She hadn’t been for awhile.

“Let me be,” she hissed.

She carried her shaking body to the nearest bathroom; a small blue powder room. Her fingers gripped the edge of the floating sink tightly. The porcelain felt so cold against her hot skin. She stared down into the sink, afraid to meet her gaze in the mirror above. She was afraid when she looked into her eyes they wouldn’t be her own. Felicity could feel the darkness seeping back into her body. She tried her best to push it away; she fought back with spells and charms, but nothing seemed to work. It always came back. Oliver’s magic had sparked her own. She’d never felt that with anyone. It was amazing, but it also fed the darkness.

**_You can’t fight me. Stop trying. I’m a part of you. It would be so much easier for the both of us if you just let go._ ******

A voice whispered across her mind. Warmth wrapped around her. The voice was gentle and sweet. It pulled her in and promised only good things. But she knew it was a lie.

“Fuck you.” She gripped the sink harder.

_**You will give in to me.** _

* * *

_Felicity walked into her home. Well, it was the coven’s home. They lived in a suburb off the Vegas strip, away from the noise and excitement. Though, a few of the girls actually worked on the strip; psychics, card readers, and such. None of them were true clairvoyants, but no one in Vegas cared about that. They weren’t particularly good at reading cards, tea leaves, or palms either, no, their talents lay in spell casting, but who cared as long as they could make a quick buck. She wasn’t sure she liked being mixed up with these witches, but they gave her a home and a place to belong._

_Felicity happened to be a natural healer. She specialized in potion making, but her true speciality was healing. She could whip up just about any kind of potion or salve for whatever ailed you._

_As she stepped into the coven’s home, she felt a chill on the air. Something wasn’t right. There was no sign of life anywhere. None of her sister witches had made themselves known. Then she heard it, a soft muttering, coming from up the stairs. She crept up the old and decrepit staircase towards the noise. She skipped the steps she knew would creak and give her away. At the top of the stairs she was met with a hallway she had been down a million times before. All the doors were shut, except for one. Someone meant to close it, she was sure, but it was slightly cracked, allowing some light to shine through and a few whispers to be heard._

_Felicity stepped towards it and leaned in to hear what was happening. She could feel the crackle of magic the closer she got._

_“Remember, when it appears it will search out the strongest of us for a host body. Accept it into your heart with open arms sisters.”_

_“What?” she whispered._

_Chanting began. She pushed the door open further and saw her entire coven, holding hands. They stood in a tight circle, blocking her from seeing what they were doing, but the chanting. It sounded like Latin. The magic in the room rose. It was nothing she had ever felt before; it was like fire against her skin as if the gates of hell themselves were opening in that very room._

_“What are you doing?” she called out over the chanting as she stepped inside._

_None of them stopped. They only grew louder. Their heads whipped back suddenly. All eyes stared at the ceiling. Their eyes filled with black until they were nothing but soulless pits of darkness._

_“Stop!” Felicity screamed._

_A feeling of dread and sorrow washed over her. A shadowy figure formed in the middle of the circle, taller than the rest of the girls, but hardly enough of a form to distinguish what it was. Her Star of David warmed on her neck as if it were trying to protect her from whatever the shadow was. The thing growled over the chanting and threw itself over the circle of witches._

_“No!” Felicity stumbled back._

_The shadow slammed into her body. She fell back onto the floor convulsing. Felicity could feel the thing inside of her trying to take over._

_She screamed arching her back and pulling at her hair._

_**Do not fight me, little one.** _

_The voice was warm and comforting. She almost wanted to give into it, but the warmth of necklace around her neck reminded of her of faith. She held onto that thought as hard as she could. Felicity Smoak would not let a monster, a demon, take control of her._

_Her body slowed its movements until she finally calmed; her necklace cooled. She could feel the beast still inside of her, nestled in the back of her mind, but she was in control. For now._

_She panted on the floor as everything around her quieted. The magic died and the chanting silenced._

_“You were not supposed to be chosen,” one of them hissed._

_“Fuck you,” she spat._

* * *

Felicity fought the demon as much as she could. It had never gained control of her, but she knew there were times when its presence was stronger. She knew that was why Oliver put a charm on his house. He was smart and she was grateful for that. She really did like him. She felt a connection to him she couldn’t explain. Something had pulled her to him. For awhile, she had moved around, staying in hotels in different cities, but something drew her to Oliver Queen.

_**That boy will be mine.** _

“No!”

The sink cracked under her grip. _No_.

The voice chuckled in her mind. It sent a chill down her spine. She looked up into the mirror and watched black bleed into her eyes. Felicity could feel herself fading and the darkness taking over. She could see and feel a smirk forming on her face, but she was not doing it. Her body was nothing but a puppet.

“No!” she screamed again, but the sound did not come from her lips it only echoed in her head.

“Fighting me has only weakened you, little one.” Her own voice laughed as it ripped her Star of David from her throat. 

The demon pushed down on the sink, breaking it off the wall completely, showing off its brute strength. Her body shouldn’t have been able to do that. It walked out of the bathroom and towards the front door.

Felicity needed to gain control again. She needed to fight.

It marched down the sidewalk to Oliver’s house. Past the gate and to the front door. It stopped, hissing at the charm. Felicity thought that would be it, but of course the demon had more tricks up its sleeve. It raised her hands, crossing one over the other and facing her palms forward. Her hands were directed at the charm protecting the house. Felicity watched in horror as the horseshoe began to burn. It burned until it fell off the door and into the yard.

“You only have yourself to blame. You brought him to me.” It chuckled.

“Stop this. He has done nothing!”

The demon grabbed onto the door handle and pulled; the door ripped away from its hinges.

“What the fuck? Felicity?” Oliver scrambled off of his couch.

“Not quite.”

It raised her arm and whipped it hard to the right. In that motion Oliver went flying into the wall nearest him.

Sabrina threw herself at her face, clawing at Felicity’s cheeks. The demon growled, grabbing onto the scruff of Sabrina’s neck and tossing the cat into the wall as hard as she could. Felicity focused all of her strength on moving her own body. She could not let this continue. This was her body and no creature was going to steal it from her. They were not going to hurt Oliver or Sabrina.

It started towards Oliver with a sick grin on her face, but stopped about a foot away. Oliver clambered to his feet.

“I knew there was something wrong,” he whispered. “Felicity are you still in there.”

“No, she’s not,” the demon growled.

It raised her hand again, but she managed to stop it from going any further. Her hand hovered in the air as she and the demon fought for control.

“Oliver,” Felicity spoke, though it was strangled and forced, “Demon.”

“Be quiet!” it growled.

Her head whipped side to side as they fought. She crumpled to the ground, her body convulsing violently.

She screamed out in pain.

“I’ve done…. everything…. I can,” she screamed again, “To exercise it…. It must… be stopped.”

The creature was stronger than it had ever been. It had fed off hers and Oliver’s magic, but it had been feeding off of her this entire time, biding its time until it was strong enough.

“Let your eyelids grow heavy and sore and let you sleep evermore!” Oliver shouted.

Felicity’s body dropped and her eyes slid shut. The last thing she remembered was the feeling of Oliver’s arms, pulling her closer. It was all up to him now.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy halloween! i hope everyone enjoyed the ride! i definitely had fun writing this little au ♥

Oliver cradled Felicity in his arms. The spell, which had been a shot in the dark, had worked. He hadn’t been sure it would put both Felicity and the demon to sleep. Now he wasn’t sure how much time he had before they would awaken and who would be in control when they did. He set her body down on the couch, carefully placing her head on a pillow. Her face was scratched and bleeding, but not too badly. She didn’t seem very injured other than the fact she had a demon inside of her.

Oliver’s own body was sore, but he didn’t pay it any mind. His eyes flickered across the room where Sabrina’s body lie in a heap. His heart stuttered in his chest. He couldn’t lose her. Not like this. He rushed to his familiar’s side and found Luke there, watching over her. Sabrina was still breathing, but very faintly. It was not enough for him to breathe with relief. There was no time for that yet.

“Keep an eye on her,” Oliver commanded. “Keep her safe.”

Luke gave a single nod and curled up beside Sabrina.

Oliver glanced towards his broken front door, wind blew leaves into his living room and brought a chill into the house. He decided it was something to be dealt with at a later time. He needed to figure out how to deal with the demon. Everything made so much more sense now. A demon. The darkness and dread he had been sensing came from the demon. And when he didn’t sense it, she must have been fighting against its presence. He could hardly imagine the strength it took to battle such a creature.

He ran up the stairs and towards his books. His fingers ghosted over the spines as he searched for something on demons. He snatched up an old book from his grandmother. The binding was leather with gold inscription; it was dusty as it hadn’t been touched in years. It practically creaked open under his fingers. He searched quickly through its thick pages until he found a section on demons.

“Demons are malevolent entities…” he whispered, “....if they are not powerful enough they may require a living body to roam the earth.”

He read quickly, searching and hoping for some secret to removing the damned spirit from Felicity’s body. Oliver read every book he could think of as quickly as possible. They all said the same thing; a demon needed a living host, but each of the spells required two or more witches to remove the parasite. No wonder Felicity had had trouble with exercising it; he could only imagine the desperation she must have felt to try these kinds of spells on her own. There had to be another way.

“A living host,” he muttered to himself.

The cards flashed across his mind again. Death.

Oliver reached for one of the oldest spellbooks on his shelf. The book seemed to know what he was thinking and immediately flipped to the proper page. A Temporary Death. The spell was dangerous. He could kill her temporarily, but he must perform the second part of the spell in the right amount of time or he would lose her forever.

The cards had not lied; someone had to die.

Oliver hurried out of the room with his books. He needed they temporary death spell, but he also wanted to have his grandmother’s exorcism spell on hand in case the worst came to pass. He knew it was too much to ask for everything to work perfectly. In the linen closet he dug out five black candles, matches, a small cauldron, a sharpened blade, and from the kitchen he grabbed his stash of hemlock.

He began setting up his supplies in the living room when he heard a faint groan from the couch. Oliver knelt, placing the candles in a wide circle. Another soft sound came from Felicity. He looked up as she started to move.

“Shit,” he whispered.

He scrambled to his feet.

“Oliver,” she groaned.

This could very well be a trick, but still he hesitantly moved towards her. “Felicity?”

Her eyes fluttered open and he stared down into her crystal blue hues. He still had time.

“I don’t know how long we have.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “I can feel it stirring.”

“I have a plan.” He slipped his arms under her and carried her towards his circle. 

Oliver quickly told her of the temporary death spell. Her eyes widened, but they filled with understanding. She nodded.

“Do it,” she said. “I trust you.”

He lay her in the circle and began lighting the candles. As soon as the last candle was lit a rush of magic filled the room. It crawled across their skin. Felicity arched her back and panted heavily. Panic flooded his system.

He drew his cauldron closer and placed the hemlock inside. With blade in hand he sliced a line across his palm and bled onto the plant. The flames rose higher off the candles and the static magic in the room caused all the hair on his body to stand on end.

Felicity let out an ear piercing scream.

“I call upon the powers that be,” he chanted, “Be gone from sight. Snuff out the light.” He repeated the second part over and over again. The magic in the room pulsed against him. Felicity continued to shriek, writing against the floor. He didn’t know if it was his spell or if it was the demon, but he couldn’t stop the chanting.

The flames rose higher and higher and the magic pulsed until it felt like the room would burst around him.

Then it stopped. Felicity’s screams died in her throat; the flames died like a snap of fingers and the magic fizzled out.

Oliver bent over Felicity’s body. There wasn’t a single breath or movement. He pressed his fingers to her pulse point and found nothing. Her body suddenly bowed backwards, sending him scrambling away. Her head tipped back and her mouth opened. Black smoke exited her body, entering the room and filling it with darkness. It formed an almost human like shape, but Oliver didn’t keep his attention on it for very long. He needed to bring Felicity back.

Quickly, he relit the candles. He sliced open his other palm, but this time he spread the blood across her forehead.

“I call upon the powers that be,” he whispered. “Bring back the light. Return to the fight.” Again the magic rose in the room. The flames danced with more energy than before.

In the middle of his chant, something struck him in the back. He refused to move, refused to stop.

“Bring back the light. Return to the fight.”

“Stop this,” a deep and wet voice came from behind him.

A white, bony hand, with clawed fingers gripped onto his shoulder. The fingers seemed too long to be normal. They were thin and monstrous. His eyes moved away from the hand and he continued his words, watching Felicity and hoping above all hope that she would breathe again.

The hand gripped him tighter until he knew it would be a bruise. “I said stop.” He was ripped away from the circle and tossed into a wall.

His words were lost in his throat for only a moment. “Bring… bring back the light. Return to the fight!”

“You don’t listen very well witch,” the demon came into sight.

The creature’s body was long and tall. Its limbs were too long; they were white and bone like. Just like the creature from his dream. It was an almost human-esque being, but it just had too much of everything. Its mouth was too big; its teeth too long and jagged. Its eyes were large and filled with black pools of darkness. Its ears were pointed, sharp and reaching past its head. The demon’s hair was a shiny black, but it was messy and knotted. It wore tattered clothes which hardly covered its body.

The demon’s large hand wrapped around Oliver’s throat, cutting off his words. He grabbed at the demonic arm. It picked him up with ease and slammed him against the wall. An obscenely long tongue slithered out of its mouth and dragged along Oliver’s cheek.

“Your blood tastes sweet.” It cackled.

Oliver hadn’t been aware he was bleeding anywhere but his hands. It didn’t matter. The magic in the room died. He could see the flames of the candles around Felicity going out.

“What do you want!?” Oliver managed to get out.

“To feast on witches.”

“Why did you need her?”

The demon squeezed his throat. “I needed power. She had it. Now I can walk the earth alone.”

“Then why were you still using her?” He could barely whisper the words.

“It was easier to get to you that way.” It grinned a disgusting and jagged grin.

The grin fell away from its face as something slammed it its head. The demon dropped Oliver to the floor with an angry growl. Oliver rubbed at his throat, his eyes moved up and saw Felicity standing there, panting heavily. His heart did a little leap.

“Get the fuck out,” she hissed.

“Little bitch,” it growled.

Oliver got to his feet and ran towards Felicity. He scooped up the spellbook into his hands. It flipped to the page that he needed.

“No!” the demon shrieked, running at them.

Felicity’s hand slammed into Oliver’s and they began chanting. “Evil demon of death, fire will take your last breath.” Their magic crackled together like nothing he had ever felt before. Her magic was like electricity on the air while his was sharp. They melded together, creating a heavy static and a forcefield around them.

It froze an inch away from them, beginning to writhe in pain. They chanted the spell over and over again. He stared the creature down as it fell to its knees and screamed. Flames burst around it, swallowing it whole. In a matter of minutes it was gone, only leaving a small scorch mark behind on the carpet.

* * *

“Oliver!” Felicity called as she stepped through the brand new door. It was sleek, white, and came with several more locks than his previous door.

His carpet had been removed and replaced with hardwood as well.

“I’m in the kitchen!” he called back.

Sabrina and Luke lie curled up on the kitchen table. Sabrina managed to escape the demon attack with nothing more than a few bruises, thankfully. But now he had a very protective black cat visiting his home almost everyday.

“You’re over here as much as I am,” Felicity muttered to Luke.

Oliver smiled when he saw Felicity. She came towards him, leaning up for a kiss. He ran his thumb across her cheeks where her tiny scratches were healing nicely.

“Those will be gone in a week… or less.”

“I don’t even care about those,” she said. “I could have healed them if I wanted to… but I”m just happy to have gotten out of that alive.”

“Me too,” he wrapped his arms around her.

It had barely been a week since the incident, but he and Felicity had grown so much closer. Battling demons will do that apparently. He didn’t know what he would do without her. She was a bright light. Her light had been dimmed by the demon, but now that it was gone, she shined. And her abilities were something to behold. He would have had scars on his hands from the cuts, but she mixed a salve especially for him. Each of her magical mixes were like that. They were specific to a person, which is why they worked so well. In a matter of days, using the salve his hands were healed and smooth. The salve itself had made him feel warm and safe when he used it.

It made him angrier knowing that a healer such as herself had been drowned in darkness for so long.

“Coffee?” he asked before kissing her nose.

She scrunched up her nose in an almost Bewitched way. “Would love some,” she said. “Then you’re taking me to meet the Diggles.”

“I’m going to tell them what happened.”

“They are not going to believe us.”

Oliver and Felicity walked into the little shop and immediately felt the unmistakable rush of warmth and belonging.

Sara met them before they reached the counter.

“Sara this is Felicity. Felicity this is Sara Diggle.”

“Pleasure,” Sara held out her hand to Felicity.

Oliver opened his mouth to warn Felicity, but Sara shot him a look. He snapped his mouth shut.

Felicity smiled, “I’ve heard a lot about you and your family,” she gripped onto Sara’s hand.

Sara placed her other hand on top of Felicity’s and smiled wide. “Oh congratulations,” she beamed.

“Excuse me,” Felicity said.

“Nothing, nothing,” Sara waved her hand. “Clairvoyant, but it’s nothing. Come on, let's go see mom and dad, they’re in the back.”

She slipped her hand away and flounced towards the back. Oliver and Felicity exchanged a quick glance. Congratulations?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _the end_


	6. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was requested many times so here you go ;)

Felicity did not find out what Sara meant by congratulations until several months later. The young girl refused to say a damned thing about it much to Felicity’s annoyance. She had begun working side by side with Sara at The Conjure Shop, selling some lotions and salves. They weren’t personalized, so she believed they didn’t work as well, but none of her customers seemed to complain. She also helped Sara modernize the shop a bit. They upgraded the computer systems to better keep track of inventory and she helped install a real security system instead of relying on a security spell. Felicity fully believed that Sara could catch a thief with her spell, but it would be hard to explain to the police why someone was frozen in place in the middle of her shop.

No, she didn’t find out what Sara meant until the night of her and Oliver’s six month anniversary.

“What’s the special occasion?” Felicity asked as she watched Oliver run around the kitchen.

“Can’t I cook a nice meal for my girlfriend?”

“Sure.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “But you don’t usually do it looking like that.”

He wore nice slacks, a plum colored short sleeved button up shirt, one of his best. Everything was ironed and in perfect condition. His hair had been gelled into place; not a strand out of order. He paused with a spoon in his hand, but didn’t comment. Oliver went right back to cooking.

She had dressed up as well, but upon his request. Felicity stood in a blood red dress that went down to her knees. It was a little tight, showing off her curves. It had long sleeves, but they barely covered her shoulders. The neckline scooped down giving a nice view of her cleavage as well. Her hair fell in curls around her shoulders; it had taken her an hour to do.

“I am not eating a bite until you tell me what is going on.”

Oliver sighed, hanging his head low. He set everything down and came to stand in front of her. “I was trying to make this special.”

“Make what special?”

“You’re the smartest person in the world, you know that, Felicity?” he chuckled as he got down on one knee, “But right now you’re kind of being a dork.”

She blushed, immediately becoming flustered.

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a ring. A silver band with one large, light green stone in the middle and two matching, smaller stones on either side. It was beautiful. Breathtaking even.

“These last six months have meant more to me than you can imagine,” he said, “You are an amazing, bright, and beautiful woman and I am lucky to have you in my life. We may have had a rocky start,” he grinned, “But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love you, Felicity Megan Smoak. Would you make me the happiest man on earth?”

Tears welled up in her eyes as he spoke. She nodded enthusiastically, “Yes!”

“Yes?” His own tears rolled down his cheeks.

“Yes.”

He slid the ring on her finger and she threw herself around his neck, hugging him tightly.

“I love you so much Oliver Queen,” she whispered. “You have brought so much light into my life.”

“I could say the same of you.”

Across the room her phone buzzed, but she ignored it and gave Oliver a sweet kiss instead.

Later, she would read a text from Sara which read, _Congratulations ;)_


End file.
